On Saturday and Sunday, August 3rd and 4th, Lisa and I will ride 162 miles—that’s right, we’re doing the 2-day ride again!—in the 2024 Pan-Mass Challenge. Lisa will be riding in her 19th PMC this year, Julia and Brad are doing their 3rd rides, and KK will volunteer at Bourne for her 3rd year in a row!

Our growing team ...

This will be my 10th year riding and it will be our 3rd year leading the team we started, Team PopSciCycles (17 riders this year!), to raise money for the McGraw/Patterson Center for Population Sciences, at the Dana-Farber. Named after my father, Dr. W. Bradford Patterson, who was the first Director of the original Division of Cancer Control, and one of his grateful patients, Anne McGraw, and her generous family, the Division of Population Sciences is comprised of four core centers and programs that represent the future of cancer prevention and control across all populations: the Division of Cancer Genetics and Prevention; the Center for Outcomes and Policy Research; the Center for Community-Based Research; and the Translational Informatics Group.

Why I ride each year ...

I am riding especially this year in honor of my nephew and godson, Nick Jandl, who was diagnosed a few months ago with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He is currently in treatment in L.A. where he lives, and his prognosis looks very good thanks to new treatments, including immunotherapy. We are praying and riding for his cancer to go into remission soon.

Lisa and I will also be riding for our dear friend and former neighbor here in Hull, Patti Abbate, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020 and who sadly passed away months before the 2022 ride.

And every year, we ride for our PMC Pedal Partner, 10-year-old Ellie, who is still a patient at The Jimmy Fund Clinic. Ellie’s journey with cancer started when she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia B-Cell in March 2019, just a few weeks after her fifth birthday! She spent a month at Boston Children’s Hospital receiving chemo treatments that had some difficult side-effects. One of the most severe side effects landed her in the ICU where she had to have a pancreatic cyst surgically removed in the fall of 2020. Through it all, Ellie has demonstrated her fierce spirit and determination. As her mother, Leah, says: “She's a force to be reckoned with!”

Finally, I ride each year for my dad and my mom (both of whom fought cancer) … and for your parents or your children or your extended family and friends who’ve experienced the scourge of cancer.

So many reasons to ride and, I hope, for you to give.

Doing the 2-day ride, I’m aiming to raise $7,500 or more this year … and I’m hoping you will help me. No matter what, I am very grateful for your past generosity and I thank you in advance for your consideration should this be the first time I've asked you.

Please consider giving at whatever level is affordable to support those with cancer, those who care for them, and all those who are researching prevention, treatments and cures! You can be sure that 100% of every dollar you donate supports Dana-Farber’s world-class research and care.